Christine's World of Adventure: July 2012

Where should I begin? How about with the end? This is the gate coming back into Andong.

We were coming back from my teachers weekend at Yeongdeok.

Bethany, Roland and I took the bus from town east to the sea.

It was a break in the bad weather. Prior to this day it had rained for 2 days straight.

We drove past some amazing farm land in the mountains. We finally got to the bus station in Yeongdeok, and hired a cab to the other bus station closer to the beach. We called our boss, who sent a driver to come get us, but while waiting 3 very outgoing middle school girls started to talk to us, asking us about our favorite bands and if Roland and I were married. Then they got all embarrassed. In between talking to us they complained about missing their bus, and told us how angry they were. Finally the diver came up to get us, is a old silver van, slightly rusty. He said pension, and we said yes. On our way, he stopped in the heat, got out of the car and started talking to a local construction worker. It lasted longer than I felt comfortable. Literally we were sweating in the heat of the car with no open windows! Finally he got back in the car and started driving again for 2 minutes. We could have gotten out and walked, but we didn't know which way!

Finally the Peach Pension! (vacation house)

Right off the pension was a sea wall and down some stadium like stairs was the beach.

The ocean was brown the sky was grey and the air was chilly from the nation-wide 2 day rain storm.

After arriving we went out to eat all together. Here is my boss Sam, his wife Arong,(or Ashley) and Eun-jin (or Amy). We were treated to raw fish!

It wasn't my first time trying it, but it was the first time I saw the fish alive before they served it. We all thought it was a mild flavor, but the texture was pretty chewy.

The spicy fish soup on the other hand was fabulous! We ate it down to bones.

After lunch we took a walk out onto the pier. There were lots of people fishing off the side. It was really nice. I really liked looking off into the distant mountains.

Back at the pension we had our meeting and talked about the future. I love my job, I love the feeling of accomplishment and the self-esteem that I get from doing my best and seeing the students apply the things that I have taught them. It fills me with purpose and with sense that I might be at the right place at the right time. Sometimes we all could use that feeling.

My super sweet and great boss!

Sam and he beautiful wife Arong.

My handsome husband and I.

Bethany too! Amy was taking a nap.

We cooked out for dinner. We had samgyeopsal, which is grilled pork, rice, kimchi, wrapped in lettuce. I had made strawberry Italian ice for desert. It lasted maybe 10 minutes. I was so happy that it was a hit! It made me feel really happy to contribute to all the good things that my work provided. Our neighbors let off fireworks into the night sky. It was like a mini 4th of July for us. Soon after we went back into the pension to avoid the bugs. We sat around and talked and relaxed and I got a shower, then settled into our blankets on the floor. Yep the floor. It was not the best sleep I have had while in Korea, but it was also not the worst. The next day though everything was brighter.

The ocean was blue the sun was shining the clouds were happy!

Kids were all out in the sun with watchful dads sitting on the stadium stairs.

Sam had to get out into the water! Bethany is not very comfortable with big bodies of water but she wanted to get into it too! Sam, our boss, came out of the water to help her get out past the breakers. She jumped with a few waves and really pushed her limits. I knew she was scared. I was so proud of her bravery but I still giggled a little as she was getting out of the water and a big wave her her at her knees as to say "And stay out!"

Check out time came, and we loaded the cars and said so long to our cute little Peach house.

From here it gets a little crabby.

Yeongdeok is the King Crab capital of Korea.

The streets are lined with restaurants and aquariums, men and women out side beckoning people into their stall as mermaids to sailors.

This was our pick.

Down a side street, and up some windy stairs we came into a small restaurant.

The entry was off an old alley.

This amazing woman did all her cooking in a super small kitchen.

And cook she did!

They had really nice Banchan (side dishes). That's my most amazing wonderful phone!

Back to the side dishes! Quail eggs, seaweed, noodles, and onions in sesame and soy sauce.

Edamame, I'm not sure of the Korean name for it, or if it's different. You don't eat the hairy shell only the bean on the inside.

And prawns, nobody ate them. I think it's cause they have creepy faces.

Then came the main event!

The taste was delicious.

It looked and smelled amazing!

Roland and I don't usually like sea spiders, but these were better than great!

Bethany had her first king crab. She loves it when a plan comes together!

Sam's crab leg still had a little fight left in it.

Arong and Eun-jin were busily working at the legs on their side of the table.

After the legs they brought out a crab soup and the body of our crab filled with a creamy rice. After we ate them clean Bethany and I started to stack our table's crabs for pictures. After our co-works saw what we were doing they donated theirs to the cause.

They wanted to take a picture too!

We had eaten everything, It was so good.

The streets and sea side were packed with people. It was a beautiful day.

And then there was this sea monster.

What is that?!

We are pretty sure it's an Eel, but it was so big and long. It took one entire aquarium, the size of a refrigerator to hold it. We didn't want to focus on it for a long period of time.

Our last stop was at the top of a mountain over looking the sea.

And then...

We realized we were at the top of the wrong mountain!

So we went back down to the coast to try again!

It was about 15 minutes of the most beautiful coast line.

We climbed higher and higher.

And rising above the mountain tree line were the wind turbines.

Bethany and Roland next to the sign for the electric company. It's really neat they turned their mountain top into a destination, with a great scenic over look, and a little gift store and restaurant.